Marlins promote righty reliever Capps from Triple-A

By Joe Morgan / MLB.com

ATLANTA -- For Carter Capps to earn a spot in the Marlins' bullpen, he needed to be more consistent in the strike zone. With 17 strikeouts and a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings for Triple-A New Orleans this season, Capps has improved the way Miami had hoped he would.

The Marlins recalled Capps on Wednesday morning to replace right-hander Arquimedes Caminero. Caminero was optioned to New Orleans following Tuesday night's 1-0 win against the Braves at Turner Field.

Capps, who has worked on getting his fastball down in the zone and improving his command, changed up his delivery with the Zephyrs after recording a 3.60 ERA in 10 innings out of the bullpen during Spring Training.

"I was just trying to get back to what I naturally do instead of trying to just pitch like somebody else wanted me to," said Capps, who learned of his promotion at 10 p.m. on Tuesday and flew from New Orleans to Atlanta at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

"It's kind of more like just getting to the natural delivery and letting the arm flow, because I was fighting myself a little bit, trying to get a little too over the top when I'm a little bit of a lower-arm slot guy."

Manager Mike Redmond has not decided what role the right-hander would play in the bullpen, but he is eager to use Capps, whom Miami acquired on Dec. 11 in a trade for Logan Morrison. Redmond said it was the "perfect time" to promote him.

Capps, 23, went 3-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 53 appearances out of the Mariners' bullpen last season, and he owns a 5.04 ERA in 84 career big league innings over two seasons with Seattle.

"He's got a big arm," Redmond said. "We loved his arm, and it was just a matter of he hasn't really pitched that long, that many years. It was just a matter of him figuring out his delivery again."

Caminero, 26, took his first career loss on Monday, when he surrendered a walk-off homer to Evan Gattis in the 10th inning of a 4-2 loss to the Braves. Caminero was recalled from New Orleans on April 9 to replace right-handed starter Jacob Turner, whom Miami placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder sprain.

Caminero has posted a 13.50 ERA (seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings) in five appearances out of the Miami bullpen this season.

Marmol day to day after injuring hamstring

ATLANTA -- Marlins reliever Carlos Marmol is day to day after suffering a right hamstring injury in the bottom of the seventh inning of a 3-1 loss to the Braves on Wednesday.

Miami will check on Marmol's status again on Thursday.

"I guess [Marmol] said he's done that before and been able to pitch through it, but we'll have to wait and see how that is tomorrow," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.

Marmol, 31, recorded two outs before walking Jason Heyward. Marmol appeared to injure his hamstring while throwing ball four to Heyward. The pitch went high and outside, prompting Miami catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to trot out to the mound and check on the right-hander.

After an on-mound meeting with Marmol and a trainer, Redmond decided to pull Marmol for southpaw Mike Dunn. Dunn struck out Andrelton Simmons swinging to strand Heyward at first and end the inning.

Inching closer, Furcal gets day off

ATLANTA -- Rafael Furcal received a day off in his rehab assignment with Double-A Jacksonville on Wednesday. The veteran infielder, whom the Marlins signed to a one-year deal in December, is working his way back from a left hamstring strain.

Miami anticipates using Furcal as its everyday second baseman.

"He'll play tomorrow," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "I think the plan for him, as of right now, is to be [in Jacksonville] for a week."

Furcal played in just seven Spring Training games, missing time due to his injury, as well as the birth of his daughter. He is batting .154 (4-for-26) with three walks and a stolen base in seven rehab games between Class A Jupiter and Jacksonville.

Meanwhile, utilityman Ed Lucas is currently rehabbing in Jupiter after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his left hand when he was hit by a fastball from Cardinals pitcher Scott McGregor on March 27. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on March 30.

"He's not playing," Redmond said. "He's just working out."

Rehab start the next step for Turner

ATLANTA -- Marlins right-hander Jacob Turner will throw 50-60 pitches in a rehab start for Class A Jupiter on Wednesday. Turner was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 9 with a right shoulder sprain, retroactive to April 4.

"This will be his first game action," Miami manager Mike Redmond said.

Left-hander Brad Hand and right-hander Kevin Slowey have started in Turner's spot the past three runs through the rotation. Slowey recently replaced Hand, who gave up eight earned runs in 6 1/3 combined innings in two starts against the Nationals.

With off-days on Thursday and next Monday, the Marlins considered simply using a four-man rotation of Jose Fernandez, Nathan Eovaldi, Henderson Alvarez and Tom Koehler for the rest of the month until Turner's potential return in early May.

However, the club instead opted to keep Slowey in the rotation in order to help preserve the arms of Fernandez, Eovaldi, Alvarez and Koehler. Fernandez was shut down after 172 2/3 innings his rookie season, Koehler pitched 143 frames last year, Alvarez maxed out at 187 1/3 with the Blue Jays in 2012 and Eovaldi logged 119 1/3 between the Dodgers and the Marlins two years ago.

"We don't rush these guys too much because at the end of the day, at the end of this year, all of these guys are going to be in uncharted territory with their innings and all that stuff," Redmond said. "So it all sounds good at the beginning of the season, but you know how it is the end of the season when these guys are in uncharted territory, so it just made sense to push them back and give them an extra day."

Slowey, who gave up two runs in five innings against the Mariners on Sunday, will start against the Mets on Saturday. He fanned eight in seven scoreless innings of relief in Miami's 2-1 win in 19 innings at Citi Field on June 8, 2013.

"If we could give guys an extra day here, it's going to be better for them down the road," Redmond said of keeping Slowey in the rotation. "It seemed like a fit. Slowey has pitched well against the Mets."

Joe Morgan is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.